Growing up, I loved giving. When I’d get my allowance from my parents, most of the time I’d give most if not all of it away. There is a joy that goes along with giving. My joy was not in what I would get in return but to be have it to give was my delight.

Back in 2009 there was a spiritual trial in my life where giving was concerned. I had been accused of not tithing and giving at the church that I was attending. I knew that I was tithing and giving, and most importantly God knew that I was tithing and giving, but I had been constantly accused of lying by the leaders of this church. This went on for months. There were days and nights where I would sob with tears because I just didn’t understand what was going on. And so, even through this, I continued to give, but I had allowed this situation to harden my heart where giving was concerned. And so wherever I went after that, whenever I’d give it would be just enough, instead of what I truly desired to give.

I hadn’t known that this was an issue in my life until 2013. I was about to post a status on Facebook about giving, and as I was typing, the Lord began to talk with me about giving. My mom was with me at the time, and as I started to share with her what the Lord was sharing with me, I broke down and cried. Yes I was giving, but it wasn’t my best. I had allowed what someone had done against me to change the way I gave. When the Lord opens our eyes to something that’s not right, it’s not to condemn us, but so that He can heal us! I thought I had forgiven, and let it all go. But I had only dealt with the surface of the issue instead of getting to the root of it.

Don’t allow the hurt that others may have caused to harden your heart, no matter what. Forgiveness is key. Giving up resentment and letting go of whatever situation it may be is also another key. Paul writes that his one aspiration in life is forgetting what lies behind and reaching for what lies ahead!

The outcome of that entire situation changed me for the better. I have a freedom to give and I love it. My focus is not people, but giving as unto the Lord. My heart is healed, my heart is now free, because now I have tapped into this grace of giving.

“But we commend ourselves in every way as [true] servants of God: through great endurance, in tribulation and suffering, in hardships, and privations, in sore straits and calamities.” 2 Corinthians 6:4

Prayer: “Father, I thank You that You are the mender of the broken hearted. I surrender every hurt to you and I receive my healing now, in Jesus name. Amen”

TEMPTATION

By Minister LaTrece Davis

“As I stood at the window of my house looking out through the shutters, watching the mindless crowd stroll by, I spotted a young man without any sense arriving at the corner of the street where she lived, then turning up the path to her house. It was dusk, the evening coming on, the darkness thickening into night.

Just then, a woman met him-she’d been lying in wait for him, dressed to seduce him. Brazen and brash she was, restless and roaming, never at home, walking the streets, loitering in the mall, hanging out at every center in town. She threw her arms around him and kissed him, boldly took his arm and said:

‘I’ve got all the makings for a feast- today I made my offerings, my vows are all paid, so now I’ve come to find you, hoping to catch sight of your face- and here you are! I’ve spread fresh, clean sheets on my bed, colorful imported linens. My bed is aromatic with spices and exotic fragrances. Come, let’s make love all night, spend the night in ecstatic lovemaking! My husband’s not home, he’s away on business, and he won’t be back for a month.’

Soon she has him eating out of her hand, bewitched by her honeyed speech. Before you know it, he’s trotting behind her, like a calf led to the butcher shop, like a stag lured into ambush and then shot with an arrow, like a bird flying into a net not knowing that its flying life is over.

So, friends, listen to me, take these words of mine most seriously. Don’t fool around with a woman like that; don’t even stroll through her neighborhood. Countless victims come under her spell; she’s the death of many a poor man. She runs a halfway house to hell, fits you out with a shroud and a coffin.” Proverbs 7: 6-27

Growing up, my dad would always take me fishing with him. He’d put the worm on the line for me and then throw that line into the water. There I’d sit, waiting to catch me a fish! Now let’s consider what’s going on in that water. That fish can sense and smell that bait. All it knows is “I want that worm!” But what it doesn’t know is that attached to that worm is a hook that’s meant to take it out of its environment. That worm, no matter how good it may look, smell, or even may taste will be the death of that fish!

Some things can seem good to your senses, but are not good for you. Just think of the young man mentioned in Proverbs 7. This temptress had been lying in wait for him and was dressed to seduce him! So obviously, she had been watching him, finding out all the things he liked. How else would she have known how to dress in order to seduce him? She was the bait that lured him into death. She used everything that appealed to his senses: she dressed to seduce him (sense of sight), she threw her arms around him and kissed him (sense of touch and taste), her bed was aromatic with spices and exotic fragrances (sense of smell), and her honeyed speech (sense of hearing). Romans chapter 8 tells us that to be carnally minded is death. But what exactly is a carnal mind? A carnal mind is sense and reason with out the Holy Spirit. Now this temptress didn’t tempt his spirit but she appealed to the senses of his flesh. Now had he been walking after the Spirit, he would have heeded the warnings the Spirit of God was giving him. He would have done like Joseph did and flew out of that situation.

Same thing goes for us! Just because something or someone may appeal to our flesh, does not mean we should just yield to it. Just like that fish, all that Satan will show you is the bait but never the hook attached to the bait! We’ve got to stop believing we are smarter than God when He gives His warnings! We have to stop thinking we can handle temptations on our own! We also have to stop trying to make friends with the enemy or thinking he‘s trying to be friends with us! Satan is not trying to make friends with us! His agenda is to steal, kill, and destroy. We’ve got to obey God at all costs! We shouldn’t allow the enemy’s distractions or temptations to entertain us and we shouldn’t be entertaining them either. Stay in the Light! Be the Light! Stay in the word of God because His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. God’s word will help you to watch your step and help you to avoid the traps and snares set by the enemy.

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book.

MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY

By Minister LaTrece Davis

When the Lord led me to move to Georgia I wasn’t sure what to expect.

He was talking to me about moving, around the month of May and the same week He started telling me about this move He confirmed the word through my pastor. At first I fought against it. First of all I loved my church family, and I didn’t want to leave them. And also I didn’t want to leave my mom behind in Jersey, especially after my dad had passed away the year before. The Lord dealt with me about moving and obedience, and I finally came to the place of surrender. Throughout the course of that year I found that the Lord had been dealing with my mom about moving as well. My sister was already living in Georgia, and so we were excited to be united again.

The Lord had given us specifics about what to take and what not to take, when to move, and where to move. When the time came for us to move, it was such a supernatural experience. I mean, everything that we needed was supernaturally supplied. The first few months after moving to Georgia, was a time where our faith was stretched. We came with very little and so we had to believe God for everything. During that time the Lord was also revealing more and more to us, His will for us, which was serving. It was also a time of healing. There was so much that had gone on with our family in such a short period of time (my dad passing away, leaving a church we had been with for over 17 years and the Lord leading us to a new one, and a few other things). So after the Lord began to open our eyes and enlighten us, that it seemed like we were in the fight for our lives. Our faith was surely tested.

I remember, one day, walking into my walk-in closet and smiling BIG because it was filled with clothes and shoes, and the very next week the Lord telling me to throw some things away and to give everything else (except for one outfit) away. I didn’t understand it, but I obeyed Him. Then He told us to take certain furniture and appliances and give them away. This wasn’t old or rugged, this was new stuff. We had gone from living in a nice and cozy apartment to staying in hotels and motels, and at times sleeping in our car. To me, I felt we were being stripped of everything, and even some relationships. Had God sent us all the way to Georgia for this? We had gone from place to place in search for some help. We went to different government agencies and non profits, we had filled out tons of job applications, and searched for places to live. But it just seemed like door after door was being shut in our faces. We had been seeking ways of trying to get out of this situation, but we didn’t seek God as to what He was calling us to do. You see, the Lord had been preparing me for this. Months prior, the Lord was giving me dreams about this, and He was talking to me, and had me to write all of this down. I didn‘t understand what He was saying nor did I take the time to ask, I just wrote it down and shut the notebook. And so, going through, I had forgotten all that He told me and showed me. All I knew was I didn’t like going through all this and I wanted out.

Before we moved out of the apartment we had in Georgia, the Lord told us the next city He was calling us to. No matter, how far we traveled or where we went, somehow we always ended right back to this specific city. Even though I had tried my hardest to leave this city, I just couldn’t escape it. One night, I remember my mom, sister , and myself had all come to a breaking point. For me personally, I was just ready to throw in the towel. We were all in the car, driving back to this city God called us to. My mom was driving, my sister in the passenger seat, and me in the back. It felt like the enemy was screaming loud in my ears “Why don’t you just give up and quit!” “God doesn’t love you! If He did why isn’t He helping you?” “You’re such a failure!” Tears were pouring down my face. Then the Lord showed me a vision of me sitting outside on the curb and someone walks by me and asks what I was doing. I turned and said “I gave up and quit!” The Lord then says “You can either cry and accept the lies the enemy is throwing you, or you can open your mouth and praise Me.” As hard as it seemed, I opened my mouth and praised God! There was an immediate shift in the atmosphere. I had no clue how we were going to make it through. I had no idea what God was up to, but I trusted Him. The following day was Sunday, and it was on all of our hearts to go to church. We didn’t know what church. My mom turned on her GPS and the Lord told us which church to attend. We had a tiny bit of gas left, but the Lord got us to this church. Talk about a divine appointment! The Lord provided us with what we needed and also connected us with some lifetime friends. There was a reason why He led us there. Now, what if I had given up and quit? What if I kept my mouth shut and refused to praise God? Sometimes we are closest to our breakthrough, when we feel the most like giving up and quitting!

As I look back, I can see the hand of God in all of this. He was removing that old foundation of self reliance and built a new one on Him. It wasn’t until we cried out to Him that He answered. Even through the hurt, the pain, the confusion, and everything else, God has time and time again proven His faithfulness to us. It wasn’t just about us, but God has used us as His vessels. Throughout this time people received salvation, healing, deliverance, and some were filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. God has used us to minister to and even to serve so many people. I am reminded of Joseph every time I reflect on this journey. Throughout everything that Joseph went through, the Bible tells us that God was with Him. His situations didn’t change the favor of God on his life.

Recently, the Lord gave me “For the joy that was set before Him, Christ endured the cross, disregarding it’s shame.” (Hebrews 12:2) The Holy Spirit has had this scripture on my heart a lot. That is, until it finally clicked to ask what it was He wanted me to get. It was the last part of that scripture “disregarding it’s shame.” You see, I felt shame about parts of this journey, sleeping in the car and staying at hotels and motels. There were parts that I didn’t want people to know about. I was afraid of what others might have to say. But what really was there to be ashamed of? Had the Lord forgotten us? Had He disappointed us? And the answer is NO! Never be ashamed of your testimony! Never be afraid or ashamed to share what God has done! I was in fear of the opinions of what those I knew might say, but you know what, WHO CARES???!

The word testimony means “do again”. When you share your testimony you are opening the door for God to “do again” in other peoples lives, what He’s done in your. And it is also a part of overcoming [Revelations 12:11]. There are people in need of hearing our testimonies. Not just of the good things but our journey as well. The GOOD the BAD and the UGLY. Sometimes we can feel as though we are the only ones going through something or have gone through something. But that’s not true [1 Peter 5:9]!

Another thing is, get the message and lesson in what you are going through. Don’t just beg God to get you out of it. I remember crying out to God and begging Him to deliver us out of the situation we were in. He led us to a library almost two hours away, for a book by Paula White called “You’re All That.” There was one part that really stuck out to me and that I needed and it was about asking God about the purpose of what you are going through. Once I asked, the Lord showed me, and I felt His peace flood my life. It made going through everything so much easier. He showed me that this was more than just being about us. I needed to believe the word He gave me before the storm came. Think of Jesus and the disciples and that storm that they encountered. There was a reason why they needed to get to the other side. It wasn’t just about them, it was about the deliverance of a man held captive by demons. Think of what his testimony did to that city he lived in after seeing him go from possessed by demons to delivered by God and now being in his right mind.

I am so glad that the Lord didn’t allow us to give up and quit. In those points and times of weakness was when His strength was perfected in our lives. This has truly been a time of growth for me. I can honestly and truly say that I am not the same person that I was going in that I am coming out. So much has changed and I give God glory for all He has done. I say it a lot now, but I thank God for every part of this journey, I truly wouldn’t change a thing! I pray this is a blessing to you. God bless

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book.

PRAISE

By Minister LaTrece Davis

Did you know that there is much power in praise?

When we praise, we are surrendering to the power and authority of God. Even though at times we may not feel or see victory, when we praise it is an act of faith and trust in God. Proverbs 2:7 tells us that God holds victory in store for the upright. We are put into right standing by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, and so because of Jesus we have been made upright.. Jesus tells us that in this world we will have tribulations and trials but we are to be of good cheer because He’s already overcome the world for us. So our place in life is praise to God. No matter what we may go through or what we may face, our attitude should be that of gratitude, because we know that victory is ours through Christ Jesus!

2 Chronicles 20
After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat. 2 Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army from Edom is marching against you from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazon-tamar.” (This was another name for En-gedi.)
3 Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the LORD for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD’s help.
5 Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD. 6 He prayed, “O LORD, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 7 O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. 9 They said, ‘Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’
10 “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our ancestors invade those nations when Israel left Egypt, so they went around them and did not destroy them. 11 Now see how they reward us! For they have come to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”
13 As all the men of Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones, wives, and children, 14 the Spirit of the LORD came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.
15 He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!”
18 Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground. And all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the LORD. 19 Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and Korah stood to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud shout.
20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”
21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang:
“Give thanks to the LORD;
his faithful love endures forever!”
22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. 23 The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other. 24 So when the army of Judah arrived at the lookout point in the wilderness, all they saw were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as they could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.
25 King Jehoshaphat and his men went out to gather the plunder. They found vast amounts of equipment, clothing, and other valuables—more than they could carry. There was so much plunder that it took them three days just to collect it all! 26 On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the LORD there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.
27 Then all the men returned to Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat leading them, overjoyed that the LORD had given them victory over their enemies. 28 They marched into Jerusalem to the music of harps, lyres, and trumpets, and they proceeded to the Temple of the LORD.
29 When all the surrounding kingdoms heard that the LORD himself had fought against the enemies of Israel, the fear of God came over them. 30 So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

I have read this scripture several times, and it wasn’t until recently that the Lord revealed somethings to me.

First, even in fear the first thing King Jehoshaphat did was seek the Lord. Second, Jehoshaphat acknowledged that those armies weren’t coming against them but against God. Third, he prayed and then they waited and listened to hear what God had to say. Fourth, after God spoke, they broke out in praise and worship. And last, at the same moment that they praised and worshipped God, God was causing their enemies to self-slaughter each other. God had already told them, they wouldn’t need to fight in this battle. And so as they walked in obedience and did what the Lord called them to do (verse 16) by the time they got to the lookout point, all they saw were dead bodies.

Think of what Jehoshaphat said, “Believe God and you will be established, believe His prophets and you will prosper.” God gave them the word that they wouldn’t even need to fight in that battle. The proof of their faith was in their praise! There may be times where you do not feel like praising God. You may feel tired or even drained from all the stuff you’ve been going through lately. But know this, we are not called to walk and live according to how we feel, but we are called and ordained to live and walk by faith. Jesus already told us that He’s already conquered the world for us, He’s deprived it of power to harm us! So why are many of us trying to fight and plead for Christ to do what He’s already done? What has the Holy Spirit called told you? What has God promised you? Now have you been walking according to what you see physically, or according to what God has said and told you. Remember what the Apostle Paul said? Let God be true and every man a liar.

Back in 2001 after my physical, I was admitted into the hospital. The doctors were giving all kinds of bad news and reports. “You’ll never recover from this illness.” “You will be on medications for the rest of your life.” “After a while, you’ll experience organ failure.” At first I cried. But throughout that time in the hospital I could feel the hand of the Lord holding my hand. I didn’t understand it at the time because though I could feel someone holding my hand and could feel His presence heavily, I didn’t see anyone physically. I remember the Saturday that I was in the hospital, I was in the room by myself and I felt led to start praising God. So i got up out of the bed and I was jumping and praising God throughout that room. I felt good! So I began to confess the word of God and praise Him. I believed that I was healed and so whenever the doctors tried to bring bad news, I rejected it and confessed by Jesus stripes I am healed. Within a six month period the dosage of medicine I was on was lowered. And within a few years I was completely taken off all medications. PRAISE THE LORD!!!! I am HEALED and have been made WHOLE!

Remember that power belongs to God. You can either magnify Him with your praises or magnify those problems with your complaining. YOU CHOOSE! And you don’t have to wait until you get into a church building to praise Him. Let it be an everyday thing, for He alone is worthy! Amen.

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book.

GENUINE LOVE

By Minister LaTrece Davis

Love suffers long and is kind
Love does not envy
Love does not parade itself
Love is not puffed up
Love does not behave rudely
Love does not seek it’s own, is not provoked, and thinks no evil
Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth
Love bears all things and endures all things
Love never fails.

Did you know that the way banks teach their employees how to identify counterfeit money is by using real money? Now think of that when it comes to love. Jesus didn’t just love any ole kind of way and He didn‘t tell us to love any kind of way either. No, He said “love as I have loved you.” You see, the disciples had to know Love in order to love. They had to follow Love’s example.

There are different types of love out there but the love He is calling us to is agape love. Agape love is the love that comes from God. This love is unconditional and it is genuine. This is the love that husbands are called to love their wives with. This is the love described in 1 Corinthians 13 as well as first John chapter 4. And this is the love that can only be produced through the Holy Spirit! This is the love that’s been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. We cannot produce this love on our own! And this is the only love that is selfless and because of that, it is the ONLY love that will never fail. When you come to know Love(God) you come to know love (true love)!

There have been times with certain relationships where I believed it was real love. But looking back now, I see that we may have cared for each other but it wasn’t love. There is a difference between caring and love. To care for someone means to feel interest. Our feelings can change and our interests can change. But when we see love described in the word of God we see that love (God’s love) goes way beyond our feelings and is not dependent upon our interests. God is love and God is a Spirit. So we see that love is a spiritual thing. Love calls for sacrifice, not for the other person but for us!

“But God put His love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to Him” –Romans 5:10 The Message Bible

Have you noticed that God gives no reason for loving us, He just does. He’s not interested in how strong or talented we are. How great His love is, that He doesn’t wait until we are saved to love us, but that He loves the whole world? Before we were ever reconciled back to Him, He loved us! He’s so patient and kind to us! He doesn’t even give up on us! Now that’s love! That’s how we ought to be! Instead of just loving people based on what they can do or do for us, let’s just LOVE!1 John 3:18,19 (Amplified Translation) tells us “Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity). By this we shall come to know (perceive, recognize, and understand) that we of the Truth, and can reassure (quiet, conciliate, and pacify) our hearts in His presence.” To love is an action. God didn’t just tell us that He loved us, but because He loved us He gave. And He didn’t just give us anything, but He gave us His BEST, Jesus! So when we love, we should be giving of our best.

Think of Love this way:

Love healed the sick. Love opened the eyes of the blind. Love caused the deaf to hear. Love raised the dead. Love is our Shepherd, we shall not want. Love cares for us. Love prospers and blesses us. Love died for us. Love was raised for us. Because of Love we LIVE!

Glory to GOD!!!

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book.

SALVATION BENEFIT

By Minister LaTrece Davis

Have we as the body of Christ fully embraced all the benefits included with this gift of salvation?

So often, we hear of the things afforded us as believers such as prosperity, healing, the anointing. But I’m not talking about the “what” but a very special Who. This Who is Jesus Christ! What an honor it is to have Him in our lives! What a privilege it is in knowing Him! I’m not talking about religiously knowing Him, I’m talking about the privilege we have in intimately knowing Him! So many are looking for what they get out of being saved, instead of desiring the One who saved us!

Have you ever thought about the disciples who walked with Jesus? They didn’t have to ask Him to heal them. They didn’t have to ask Him to provide food for them. But because of their walk with Him He took care of their needs! So many are begging and crying out for things instead of crying out for more of Him. Have we become so obsessed with “stuff” that we’ve neglected our relationship with our Savior? Have we turned our Savior into a genie, where we only go to Him when we are in need?

Check out this scripture in John chapter 8

“So the people, finding that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, themselves got into the small boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found Him on the other side of the lake, they said to Him, Rabbi! When did you come here? Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the miracles and signs but because you were fed with the loaves and were filled and satisfied. Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food that perishes and decomposes in the using, but strive and work and produce rather for the lasting food which endures continually unto eternal life; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him. They then said, What are we to do, that we may habitually be working the works of God? What are we to do to carry out what God requires? Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent, that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His messenger.”

What was this bread that Jesus what calling for them to strive and work and produce? This bread was Himself! In verse 33 of this same chapter Jesus says “For the Bread of God is HE Who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world! All of the blessings, favor, good things, prosperity, and healing that people are seeking and searching for are in Christ Jesus! Because of Him we are blessed! Because of Him we are healed and made whole! Because of Him we are prosperous! But we SHOULD NOT be seeking Him for what we can get out of Him, but we should be seeking Him because we love Him. There is something that William Mcdowell says in the song “All I Want Is You” that I love and that is “THE REWARD OF WORSHIP IS GOD!!!” I looooooove that! I’ve heard quite a few people say “If you want your blessing, well then give God a hearty praise!” Or things like “Let’s get into worship, so that His gifts can manifest!” But why not praise Him because we love Him! Why not worship Him because we just desire Him?

I have come to know God as everything I could ever desire! He fills me up! All I want is Him! Everything else is just an added bonus.

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book.

LIFE!!!

By Minister LaTrece Davis

Have we been living life to the fullest? Are we experiencing the fullness of God in our lives or only drippings? Have you ever thought about life and felt that there was so much more to live and experience?

We can be so focused on “the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy” that we lose focus on what Jesus says after that “But I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” For the last few days the Lord has been talking to me about this. For the last few months I have had this feeling or better yet this knowing that there is so much in me that I have yet to tap into. For some time, I had believed so many of the lies of the enemy. I had become okay with mediocrity. But God wants us to experience Him in His fullness. What lies have you believed? Remember how after Adam sinned and later tried to hide from God. When God asked him about what was going on, Adam said that he hid because he was naked and was afraid. God responded by asking “Who told you that you were naked?” then He asked Adam if he ate from the tree He commanded him not to eat from.

Who told you that you are worthless? Who told you that you are no good? Who told you that you couldn’t do it? Who told you that God doesn’t love you? Who told you that you can never amount to anything or be successful? Have you been eating the fruit that the enemy has been offering you? Have you accepted satan’s lies above God’s truth?

There are times where I can be quiet and a lot of times people have mistaken my quietness for shyness. I had heard for such a long time “Oh LaTrece is so shy!” I heard “shy this” and “shy that” so much that I had come to accept being shy. And so when someone would ask me why I was so quiet, I would say “I guess because I’m shy.” And as a result I had come to see my confidence slowly but surely dwindle. I had been asking the Lord about this for some time and now as I am typing this He is giving me revelation. WOW! I had been wondering and questioning whatever happened to the confidence I had. I mean, I can remember growing up and performing in the different programs in church and being bold and unafraid. But then after a while I remember getting up and going to the front of the church, at age sixteen, with both my voice and body trembling in fear. I had been speaking, thinking, and believing fear over my life. I was living my life so limited. But the very thing the enemy tried to use to hold me back was the very thing God used to free me. I remember growing up and saying how I would rather stay in the background. And now God uses me as His minister here in the earth.

God didn’t place us here in this earth to merely just exist but He desires us to live, really live! Fully live! There are gifts in us that need to be stirred and used.

Think of the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:

“Again, the kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last- dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a whole in the ground and hid the master’s money.”

Why did that one servant who only had one bag, hide his bag? It was because he was afraid. Was he praised or even shown compassion for being afraid? Nope, he was called a wicked servant. Are we hiding our God-given gifts, talents, and abilities out of fear? Are we living a less than life, that’s below what God has called us to? This is to me as well. It’s time to let go of the fears and be built up by the word of God.

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book.

Mirror, Mirror

By Minister LaTrece Davis

When you look in the mirror at yourself what is it that you see? Is the first thing you see flaws? Are you seeing yourself how you really are or is it how you think you are? Now think about the bible. When you open it what is it that you see? When you read it, do you see how flawed you are? Are you reading it how it really is (by being led by the Holy Spirit) or are you reading based on your carnal thinking and belief? When you look at Jesus, is He a reminder of how imperfect you are? Or is He a reminder of how righteous you are in Him.

2 Corinthians 3:18 says “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” And the New Living Translation says “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord-who is the Spirit- makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.” I see this a lot and I have at one time believed that even though we are followers of Christ, we are so far from being like Him. But the truth is, when we look at Him we should see ourselves. Why? Because the word of God says in 1 John 4: 17 that as He is so are we in this world. Our righteousness and our holiness is not based on the works of the Law. The Law was to show us how sinful we are. We are made right with God by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. So when we look to Jesus it’s not about seeing how flawed we are, but to show us how righteous we are because of Him. We are not just followers of Christ but we are in Him. We died with Him, we were raised with Him, and we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. We are not seated separately from Him. We are seated, with Him as the head and we as His body. So wherever the head is so is the body. We have become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ Jesus. The same way that The Father loves Jesus, He also loves us.

Religion teaches and enforces self-righteousness, but having a true relationship with Jesus, our Savior, reveals to us the righteousness we have from having faith in Him and what He has done for us. Consider the rich young ruler (Matthew 19) who came to Jesus with the question “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him “If you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” He asked Jesus “which commandments?“ As Jesus listed the commandments to this young man, he cut Jesus off and told him that he’s kept them and then asked what else must he do. Jesus responded “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” (New Living Translation.) At that, the young man went away sad, for he had many possessions. Drop down to verse 25, the disciples were astounded and asked “Then who in the world can be saved?” Jesus answers “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” I used to ask the Lord about verse 26, what exactly did He mean by “with man it is impossible. But with God all things are possible.” He revealed to me how it is written that if a person transgressed one Law, he transgressed all the Laws. The rich young ruler asked Jesus what “he” must do to inherit eternal life. Because he missed that one final command, it voided out everything else that he said he did. And so with man, it is IMPOSSIBLE to enter eternal life. But thanks be to God, Who came in the flesh of man and made it POSSIBLE for us to enter into eternal life, in fact He is eternal life.

So as Jesus is (not was) so are we here in this earth. As Jesus is the Son of God, we are the sons of God here in this earth. As Jesus is healthy, so are we in this world. As Jesus is blessed, so are we in this world. As Jesus is righteous, so are we in this world. As Jesus is holy, so are we in this world. And now, because of Jesus, there is no condemnation to us who are in Him. Now when we walk after the flesh we can see everything wrong with us, that we believe makes us unrighteous. The flesh is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit. So the questions come when we walk after the flesh, such as “how can God forgive me after what I just did?“ or How can God heal me after I committed that sin?“ My life is so messed up, how could God ever love me?“ That’s why we are not called to walk after the flesh but after the Spirit. When we walk after the Spirit, we see Jesus! And in that we are able to come BOLDLY before the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace.

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book

WILL YOU PASS THE TEST?

By Minister LaTrece Davis

There have been many times in my life where it felt like things or situations kept repeating itself. It may have been different people or environments, but the same situations. There were times when I used to date, the faces would be different but the same personalities. Or when I used to work in retail it would be different customers or even a co-worker or employers, but none the less I was still facing the same issues.

One night while spending time with the Lord, He led me to Psalm 92:15 “to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” As soon as I read that verse He spoke to me and told me that He is a righteous Teacher and that He doesn’t just pass His students until they pass the test. There have been many times where it wasn’t until I passed certain tests that things in my life began to change for the better.

So what are the things in your life that you’ve noticed keep repeating? What habits or mindsets have kept you walking in that wilderness like the Israelites did for forty years? Ask the Lord to reveal it to you.

David said it best in Psalm 26:2 “Put me on trial Lord, and cross examine me. Test my motives and my heart.”

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book

As A Man Thinketh!!

By Minister LaTrece Davis

The word of God says in Proverbs 23:7 that “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” There are many who carry the wrong perception about themselves and who have believed the lies of the enemy for so long that their vision is completely distorted. Have you ever heard a woman believe and constantly complain that there are no good men or that all men are dogs. Yet, wonder why every guy that they date or get involved with always turn out bad? It all starts with what we allow into our hearts. Thats why the bible tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). The New Living Translation says “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Guard what you allow to enter through your hearing and what you see because your heart is at stake. Be sure to guard your heart at all times from the lies spoken through others and especially through the media.

Romans tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. In life, whatever you believe in your heart steers the course for your life. Many people only believe to live to be in their seventies. Many believe that being fifty, forty, or even their thirties, or twenties to be old or too old, and so with that their bodies begin to shut down. But the word says that God will satisfy us will long life and show us His salvation. Have you considered Moses? Even at 120 years old his eyes were not dim nor were his natural forces abated. Joshua said that at the age of 85 he was still as strong and healthy as he was during his days with Moses. But the problem is many times these things aren’t preached. I remember my mom telling me that a pastor preached at a funeral of a loved one and told the congregation that 70 years was the cut off for them and that anyone close to seventy should be preparing to die and that anyone over 70 was spared but still should expect to die soon. But just as God spoke in Hosea 4:6 that His people perish for lack of knowledge, it still continues on today. Going back to the book of Romans chapter 10 it says:

Scripture reassures us, “No one who trusts God like this—heart and soul—will ever regret it.” It’s exactly the same no matter what a person’s religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. “Everyone who calls, ‘Help, God!’ gets help.”
But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims,

A sight to take your breath away!

Grand processions of people telling all the good things of God!

Romans 10:11-17 MSG

If you want or desire change in your life then renew your mind through the word of God. Confess what God says over you. As you do, the water of the word of God will begin to cleanse and purge you from any negative mindset you may have. Of course it will take time but that time will be well worth it. I used to carry such a horrible mindset and view of myself. I used to believe and eat up the lies of the enemy. I used to not believe that I was good enough or loved or loveable. Didn’t think my life was worth living. I used to be heavily depressed, my life felt so miserable. The change in my life was Christ. I asked God to reveal me to me and that’s just what He did. He would guide me through His word and reveal to me His very own thoughts about me. As I began to confess God’s word over myself I began to see and sense a change in me. His word began to change me from the inside out and even to this day I am still being transformed. It feels so good to be me and to be free. There’s so much freedom in being my authentic self. I was in such bondage to wearing weaves, makeup, and other things that there was a time in my life that I wouldn’t leave the house without it. Now don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with wearing those things but there is something wrong when you become in bondage to it and it becomes an addiction. The reason I wore all those things was because I didn’t think I was beautiful without them. But its something how God will strip you of those security blankets and make you face reality.

Choose to believe what God says about you rather than the opinions of others. If you have ever been called ugly or no good understand that is a lie! God says you were created in His image and after His likeness. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are the apple of God’s eye. If you’ve been told or believe that you are a loser or a failure understand and know that in Christ you are more than a conqueror! That you are victorious and that God has good plans for you! You are loved and loveable because you are just like your Heavenly Father. There is no failure in you. You were created for greatness. 1 John 5 says “Whatever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that over comes the world, even our faith.” Aren’t you born of God? Then have faith in God’s truth that you are a WORLD OVERCOMER!!! God loves you and that’s the BEST love you could ever receive. Now all of this is true, but it’s just up to you to believe it and believe God.

The last thought for this post comes from Philippians 4: 8-9 MSG…

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

GOD BLESS!

Minister LaTrece Davis was born and raised in New Jersey but now resides in the state of Georgia. She was ordained a minister of the gospel March 2012 by her spiritual parents, Pastors Emilio and Vahlia Drakes of Christian Ambassadors Worship Center International (Turnersville, NJ). She is founder of SALT Ministries and is currently in the process of writing and publishing her first book